Susila Dharma International Assoc., Inc.

SDIA aims to accomplish the following in each of the fours areas we work in.

Health and Wellbeing: reduce the rates of preventable and treatable illness, infections and mortality in vulnerable communities; build and operate health centers, provide training and support to health practitioners, and care for the elderly; provide communities with access to clean drinking water and improve sanitation; provide care for the dying and their families; provide care for marginalised populations such as those infected with HIV.

Education & Youth: provide access to quality formal, informal and vocational education for thousands of children, youth, women and men every year; provide scholarships, help improve school infrastructure and build the capacity of teachers, trainers and institutions; help children get a good start in life leading to greater success in all they want to achieve.

Sustainable Livelihoods: help communities develop the language, technical and management skills to feed their families, develop their enterprises and gain employment while living in harmony with the natural world; provide the tools and equipment necessary for these enterprises to thrive.

Environment: work with the poorest communities, which are the most vulnerable to climate change and environmental destruction; help change practices and find alternative ways of growing food, ensuring access to safe water and protecting the environment - all of which leads to good stewardship of our planet.

SDIA works with projects in challenging environments to reduce illness and mortality, and improve quality of life. We help to build healthcare facilities, improve healthcare infrastructure, promote health education, and encourage community participation whenever possible. We believe that access to quality healthcare is a basic human right. Our initiatives:
Build & operate healthcare clinics in highly under-served communities
Deliver healthcare services to vulnerable groups such as pregnant mothers, babies, young children & the elderly
Provide access to clean water and good-quality sanitation, thereby diminishing the spread of communicable diseases
Encourage community participation in the healthcare process via fee-based 'health mutuals', which help to subsidize clinics

SDIA provides education and skills training to people of all ages, enabling them to lead fulfilling, productive lives. Our efforts typically benefit under-served populations in poor and/or rural areas that lack access to quality education. While traditional classroom learning is a central component, we embrace a lifelong view of learning that begins at birth. Our initiatives:
Educate new mothers regarding good nutrition, infant healthcare & stimulation
Teach children & teens how to protect themselves against physical & emotional abuse
Oversee vocational and daycare centers, primary schools, after-school programs and scholarship funds
Provide people of all ages with quality job skills training
Organize cultural & athletic activities that encourage healthy living, boost morale & improve coping skills

SDIA is committed to providing people with the skills, knowledge and opportunities needed to support themselves and their communities. We help to mobilize communities to develop new or existing income streams in harmony with the natural environment. Our initiatives:
Teach people the skills needed to develop new enterprises or gain employment
Offer financial support, such as credits, to small businesses
Facilitate mutually beneficial planning and cooperation between communities & local government agencies
Promote food security by teaching people how to grow nutritious food for themselves & their communities

SDIA often works with disadvantaged communities living in ecologically sensitive ecosystems. These rural populations often rely on traditional agricultural livelihoods that are vulnerable to extreme weather events, and environmental destruction. SDIA provides the guidance and assistance that these communities need in order to provide for themselves while still protecting the natural environment. Our initiatives:
Encourage small home gardens to help people to achieve food independence & security
Educate farmers regarding sustainable agriculture that respects traditional livelihoods while protecting the environment
Champion organic growing practices
Help find eco-friendly alternatives to chemical extraction & processing
Provide emergency aid to communities affected by disasters.

SDIA's capabilities for achieving our goals and objectives are linked to a large international network, mobilised to help meet local challenges. Our capabilities for local identification of problems, challenges, actors and opportunities are strong and rooted in the communities served. Our member NGOs working at the grassroots level are the best placed to mobilise local actors to analyse priority problems and which actors are key to solving them. On the other hand, strong local actors often need support from international partners with specialised skills and resources to help them maximize their success. SDIA is able to bring volunteers, resources, and new skills to bear on behalf of local development.

SDIA has supported:
- Hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged children and youth to get an education and improve their lives
- More than a million people to access improved health and wellbeing services
- The protection of around 75,000 hectares of endangered ecosystems
- The protection of endangered species of flora and fauna and over 300 varieties of native seeds
- Access to more sustainable livelihoods for X number of people
We will continue to grow our network of mutual support to include more communities, ecosystems and individuals over the coming decade.